Dmitri Hvorostovsky vs. Bryn Terfel: The Battle of the Baritones That Shook the Opera World

No one who witnessed the 1989 Cardiff Singer of the World final could ever forget it. It was a clash of titans, a battle between two extraordinary baritones that would set the stage for their future careers. On that fateful night, Dmitri Hvorostovsky walked away with the top prize, while Bryn Terfel secured the Lieder Prize—but both would go on to become operatic legends in their own right.

A Clash of Styles: Verdi vs. Wagner

Since that legendary showdown, their careers have taken vastly different paths. Hvorostovsky became the reigning Verdi baritone, known for his silken tone and refined elegance, while Terfel carved his place as a Wagnerian powerhouse, delivering thunderous performances as Wotan in Die Walküre at the Royal Opera House.

“I think Bryn is finding his place as one of today’s greatest Wagnerian baritones,” Hvorostovsky once said. “It’s ironic that at the same time he was singing Wotan at Covent Garden, I was performing Rigoletto there—fulfilling my own dream of becoming a top Verdi baritone.”

The Cardiff Final: A Night of Doubt and Triumph

Despite his later success, Hvorostovsky admitted that the Cardiff final almost shattered his confidence.

“I was unbelievably arrogant and thought I was going to win—until I heard Bryn singing full out and saw the audience’s reaction,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘Oh no! Well, I might get third place…’”

Hvorostovsky’s lifeline? Verdi. His rendition of Rodrigo’s death scene from Don Carlos—his signature aria—secured him the victory.

A Friendship Lost in Translation?

In the early days, the language barrier kept their interactions brief.

“I could hardly get around in English then, and Bryn had a strong Welsh accent. I couldn’t understand anything he said except ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye’!” Hvorostovsky joked.

Yet, years later, they joined forces again—most memorably in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in Salzburg, where Terfel’s booming Figaro threatened to overshadow Hvorostovsky’s elegant Count.

“Bryn ate me alive and spat me out!” Hvorostovsky laughed.

Hvorostovsky’s Love Affair with Verdi

For Hvorostovsky, Verdi was destiny. From Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera to the title role in Simon Boccanegra, he was drawn to the composer’s heroic yet deeply human characters.

“Verdi’s cantilena is the best in the world,” he once declared. “His baritone roles are always vocally beautiful, but also complex and challenging.”

But he wasn’t limited to Verdi. His return to Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at Covent Garden marked a transformation—this time, he wouldn’t play the young, arrogant Onegin, but a hardened, more cynical version of the character.

From Soviet War Songs to Opera Crossover

While Terfel dabbled in West End musicals, Hvorostovsky made an unexpected crossover move—performing Soviet-era war songs for Russian WWII veterans. The concert, broadcast to 100 million viewers, introduced him to a new level of superstardom beyond the opera house.

“I don’t see it as compromising,” he said. “It’s like classic pop—I reached a level of popularity that opera alone could never give me.”

Hvorostovsky on Terfel: Admiration from a Safe Distance

As for another direct showdown between the two? Not likely.

“I quit singing Don Giovanni,” Hvorostovsky admitted. “I want to stick with roles I truly identify with. Maybe one day I’ll sing Wolfram in Tannhäuser, but my Wagnerian ambitions end there. I could never sing Wotan—it’s not my cup of tea.”

Then, with a laugh, he added:

“I am Bryn’s admirer—and I can remain so, at a safe distance!”